{"id":13087,"date":"2019-08-13T16:04:46","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T16:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onlinecprcertification.net\/blog\/?p=13087"},"modified":"2025-04-18T08:27:23","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T08:27:23","slug":"workplace-safety-bloodborne-pathogens-needlestick-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onlinecprcertification.net\/blog\/workplace-safety-bloodborne-pathogens-needlestick-prevention\/","title":{"rendered":"Workplace Safety: Bloodborne Pathogens & Needlestick Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Occupational Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention OSHA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone can get exposed\nto bloodborne pathogens in the workplace by any means including while handling\nneedles or cutting sharps such as scalpels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nurses face risks daily\nwhile handling patients who can be potential carriers of bloodborne pathogens\nsuch as HIV or HBV, which can lead to serious complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While they can be prevented<\/a>, most pass them as work-related hazards.\nNeedlestick injuries have been common in the workplace and are usually the\ncause of many bloodborne infections in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nurses are the most\naffected being at the frontline of exposure. Needlestick prevention OSHA has\nbeen advocating for better prevention mechanisms at the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s take an in-depth\nlook at what bloodborne pathogens are and their impact on the safety of health\nworkers and those handling potential carriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What Are Bloodborne Pathogens? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bloodborne pathogens are\nmicroorganisms that can occur in the human blood and infect the host with\ndiseases. The pathogens include and aren’t limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human immunodeficiency\nvirus(HIV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hepatitis B virus<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hepatitis C virus<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Syphilis<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malaria<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Injuries related to\nsharps such as needle sticks can be a route of exposure to bloodborne pathogens\nfor workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Affected workers can be\nfrom many technical occupations, including health workers, first aiders,\nhousekeeping workers, and nurses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Statistics from the CDC<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CDC mentions\nneedlestick injuries as the most reported type of injuries. 80% of contact with\nblood is through needlesticks, thus making it the most common route for healthcare\nworkers to get exposed to bloodborne pathogens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over 20 types of\npathogens can be transmitted through exposure to a small amount of blood. Of\nall the mentioned pathogens, the most common work-related infection is\nhepatitis B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A report by the CDC\nstates that a whopping 5,100 workers are infected every year with hepatitis B\nthrough work-related contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the US, there have\nbeen 54 reported cases of HIV seroconversions from health care workers due to\noccupational exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hollow-bore needles contributed\nto 86% of needlestick injuries, with all being HIV exposures during work hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Among all health care workers, nurses\ncontribute to 24 % of the reported HIV exposure cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, research\nindicates that 83 % of the reported cases can be prevented, with most of the\ninjuries preventable by using needles with safety features or needleless\nequipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the\nAmerican Hospital Association, if a severe case of infection by bloodborne pathogen <\/a>occurs, it leads to expenditures exceeding\n$1million for tests, treatment, therapy, and follow-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is estimated that the\ncost for following up on a single needlestick injury is more than $3000 even\nwhen no infection results from the injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Devices that integrate\nsafe needles exceed the cost of standard tools by more than 28 cents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Can be done to Curb and Minimize the Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To decrease and\neradicate the cases of occupational exposures, every employee must be ready and\nwilling to follow the exposure control plan and as required by employee\nprotection policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plan should have a\ndetailed description of how an employee should use personal protective\nclothing, work and engineering practice controls, medical surveillance tools,\nget hepatitis B vaccinations and other requirements stated in the bloodborne\npathogens standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The primary means to\neradicate and reduce employee exposure is through engineering controls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Needlestick prevention\nmeasures may involve practices such as using safe needle devices, plastic\ncapillary tubes, and needleless equipment that are implemented to ensure the\nsafety of the workers handling them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Needlestick Prevention Tips: How to handle a Needlestick injury<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a needlestick injury\nor injury from sharps happens and exposes you to blood or any body fluid from a\npatient, you should follow the following steps immediately:<\/p>\n\n\n\n